Existing Building Commissioning

(EBCx)
Module 3

CBCP_v2023.10 1
 Fundamentals of EBCx

EBCx is quickly becoming one of most important topics

in the building management arena.

In the Federal sector, Cx or RCx has taken on new

importance with the enactment of EISA 2007, where
Federal facilities are required to be assessed for Cx or
RCx measures.

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Fundamentals of EBCx

Numerous case studies and experiences have

demonstrated O&M-related energy efficiency
improvement on the order of 5% to 30% covering a
wide range of building use.

Even today, very few new buildings undergo a complete

Cx process. Instead, new buildings are typically turned
over with operating problems in place, incomplete
documentation, and minimal operator training.

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 Fundamentals of EBCx

Even after operational adjustments are made, in

perhaps a one-time Recommissioning or RCx effort,
building performance degradation will occur.

RCx (Specifically the energy-consuming

mechanical/electrical systems and control systems) is
critical to ensure energy-efficient operation. In addition,
improved space comfort, IAQ, fewer O&M emergency
calls, and tenant satisfaction, etc.
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Fundamentals of EBCx

Goals, Benefits and Pitfalls

Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB)

Energy Audit (EA)

Differences Between EBCx, TAB and EA

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 Existing Building Commissioning
Goals
• Improve building performance by saving energy and reducing operational costs
• Ensure the persistence of improvements over the building’s life
• Assist in achieving LEED certification for existing buildings
• Improve the building’s ENERGY STAR rating
• Identify and resolve building system operation, control and maintenance problems
• Verify that a facility and its systems meet the current facility requirements (CFR)
• Reduce or eliminate occupant complaints and increase tenant satisfaction
• Identify the O&M staff training needs and provide such training
• Minimize operational risk and increase asset value
• Extend equipment life-cycle
• Improve indoor environmental comfort and quality and reduce associated liability
• Document system operation

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Existing Building Commissioning

Benefits
• Provides a safe and healthier facility
• Optimizes energy use
• Reduces operating costs
• Ensures adequate O&M staff orientation and
training
• Improves installed building systems documentation

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 Existing Building Commissioning

Pitfalls
• Confusion between energy audit ECMs and
measures that have been identified through EBCx
processes
• Efforts to clarify the confusion:
• ASHRAE Guideline 0.2: The Commissioning Process for Existing Building
Systems and Assemblies
• ASHRAE Guideline 1.2: HVAC&R Technical Requirements of the
Commissioning Process for Existing Building Systems and Assemblies

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Existing Buildings Commissioning

Example # 1: Large Medical Research Facility: Modify
Measure During the EBCx Process
• Initial assessment revealed air-to-air heat exchangers
on 100% outside air units not used due to
maintenance issues
• Maintenance improved face-bypass damper
operation, but dampers still didn’t operate properly
due to poor design
Recommended to leave dampers permanently open
• This measure increased energy savings by at least
10%

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 Existing Building Commissioning
Example # 2: University Central Plant: Condenser Water
Pump
• Initial assessment found:
• Condenser water flow through one chiller (#2) too low, so a
larger pump is needed
• Detailed investigation revealed:
Pump design is sufficient
Field confirmed that one hidden manual valve was 75% shut
Chiller #2 condenser water flow sufficient after valve is
adjusted
• Solution:
Open hidden manual valve, and problem was resolved
Avoided cost of purchasing larger pump plus small energy
savings
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Existing Building Commissioning

Pitfall: lesson learned –
• Energy audit (EA) ECMs typically are retrofit or capital
improvement, which requires justification on payback.
• EBCx measures often require more detailed field investigation
and have less implementation/construction cost. The
opportunities during the assessment phase are often signs of
savings potential than definite recommendations.
• The savings are often hard to quantify, such as terminal box
unoccupied period setback for 30+ units. It is more appropriate
to view RCx as “one” ECM for energy audit purposes. The
Federal government also agrees with this point of view by
allowing RCx quantified as EA recommendation.

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 Existing Building Commissioning

Key Differences Between Retrofit and

EBCx Processes
• The retrofit process – Audit provides measure
specific cost/payback
• The EBCx assessment doesn’t provide
measure-specific cost/payback
• Some customers wish to make measure
selection after the EBCx assessment – unwise
• PITFALL: Significant EBCx measures are often
identified or modified after EBCx assessment
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 Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB)
ASHRAE Definition:
The process of checking and adjusting all environmental systems
in a building to produce the design objectives.

Scope Balancing air and water distribution systems

includes: Adjusting the total system to provide design quantities

Electrical measurement

Establishing quantitative performance of all equipment

Verifying automatic control system operation and

sequences of operation (SOO)
Sound and vibration measurement

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Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB)

NEBB Definition:
A systematic process or service applied to heating,
ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems and
other environmental systems to archive and document
air and hydronic flow rates.

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 Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB)
Scope Testing – The use of specialized and calibrated instruments
to measure temperatures, pressures, rotational speeds,
includes: electrical characteristics, velocities, and air and hydronic
quantities for an evaluation of flow conditions.

Adjusting – Varying of system flows by partially closing

balancing devices, such as dampers and valves, and varying
fan speeds to achieve optimum system operating conditions
within design and installation limitations.

Balance – Methodical proportioning of air and hydronic

flows through the system mains, branches, and terminal
devices using acceptable procedures to achieve the specified
airflow or hydronic flow within testing and design limitations.

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Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB)

• Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG) says:
• The purpose of testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) is to
assure that an HVAC system is providing maximum
occupant comfort at the lowest energy cost possible.
• New building:
• To complete the installation and to make the system perform as
the designer intended.
• Existing building:
• There are few buildings in existence that have not experienced
changes in internal loads and space layout changes since they
were designed and built. These buildings should periodically have
their HVAC systems rebalanced to achieve maximum operating
performance, efficiency, and comfort.

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 Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB)
• When to apply in buildings?
• New building:
• Construction Phase
• When all factory equipment startup service is completed, and all
safety interlocks and protective devices are functioning
• Existing Building:
• Occupancy and Operations Phase

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Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB)

• When complete?
• All HVAC systems and components are tested and balanced
within acceptable tolerances
or
• Reasonable efforts within the extent of TAB have been
performed in order to achieve acceptable system
performance
• The TAB Supervisor shall notify the project personnel of any
significant system deficiencies preventing balancing or balancing
within tolerances before final report is submitted
• Any variances from design quantities which differ from tolerances
shall be noted in the TAB report

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 Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB)
Performer Guidelines

• Agents certified by the • NEBB’s “Procedural

National Standards for TAB of
Environmental Environmental
Balancing Bureau Systems”
(NEBB) or Associated • AABC’s “AABC National
Air Balance Council Standards for Total
(AABC) in the TAB System Balance 2002”
disciplines.

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Energy Audit (EA)

ASHRAE definition AEE definition

• An Energy Audit • An Energy Audit can

serves the purpose of be simply defined as a
identifying and process to evaluate
developing where a building or
modifications to plant uses energy,
reduce energy use and identify
and/or cost of opportunities to
operating a building. reduce consumption.

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 Energy Audit - Objectives

• To instill ideas, tools, best practices, and lessons

learned that generate actions that conserve energy,
reduce cost, protect the environment, and reduce
material waste
• To provide the enabling tools for legislative and
executive order compliance
• To educate and to communicate to the user current
best practice energy audit terminology, definitions,
and its applications

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Energy Audit - Objectives

• To provide the education and tools needed to conduct

in-house and outsourced energy audits of federal
facilities

• To provide the basics to recognize those no cost/low-

cost energy savings measures that can be, and often
are, the simplest energy conservation opportunities
that can be implemented immediately, without the
need for high-cost capital improvements

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 Energy Audit - Goals
• To quantify the building’s overall thermal
performance.

• To assess the efficiency, physical condition, and

programming of mechanical systems such as the
heating, ventilation, air conditioning equipment,
refrigeration and special functions equipment.

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Energy Audit - Goals

• To take a comprehensive look at the building energy monitoring and
control system (EMCS) as an essential aspect of a fully integrated
system.

• To look at and recommend improvements to maintenance and

operating procedures, building use and schedules, and to look for
renewable energy opportunities.

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 Part of Complete Energy Saving
Program
• Initial assessment and identifying energy requirements
• Energy audit, sometimes referred to as Energy
assessment report
• Implementation of the ECMs
• Proper commissioning and performance/savings M&V
• Repeat the process again on a pre-defined schedule
and recurring basis to ensure persistence

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Energy Audit Types

Type I Audit – Walk-Through Audit

Type II Audit – Scoping Audit

Type III Audit – Investment Grade Audit (IGA)

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 Energy Audit Types – Type I
• Also called preliminary or walk-through audit
• Least costly to perform and identifies preliminary
energy savings opportunities, but not detailed savings
or cost estimates. A visual inspection of the facility is
made to identify some of the obvious opportunities,
and to determine if more detailed analysis is
warranted

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Energy Audit Types – Type I

• Most Type I audits can be performed easily in a
matter of a few days, depending on the number of
buildings, their size(s), their complexity, and their
operations
• Good starting point for a comprehensive energy
saving program

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 Energy Audit Types – Type II
• Also called general audit or scoping audit
• To identify energy conservation measures (ECMs) that appear likely to
have a favorable return (< 5 yrs)

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Energy Audit Types – Type II

• Cost and savings are usually from rules of thumb or engineering
experience, such as results of other similar projects
• Normally used to see if a further detailed analysis appears warranted,
however the customer can choose this audit as a standalone product
if they accept the higher project risk of using wider tolerance
engineering estimates

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 Energy Audit Types – Type III
• Also called comprehensive audit, or detailed, maxi, technical analysis
audit, or Investment Grade Audit (IGA)
• To provide detailed engineering analysis and is intended to provide
sufficient info to support informed choices for capital energy
improvement

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Energy Audit Types – Type III

• Individual measures may have supporting calculations that may be
from energy modeling, bin weather, or other engineering methods,
with accuracy levels higher than Type II audit
• Cost estimates may include equipment quotations and line-item cost
data that can be refined during follow up design work

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 Energy Audit Types – Note
• The levels of energy audits do not have sharp boundaries. They are
general categories for identifying the type of information that can be
expected and an indication of the level of confidence in the results;
that is, various measures may be subjected to different levels of
analysis during energy analysis of a particular building.

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Energy Audit Scope

Building Envelope
Lighting
HVAC
Boilers and District Heating
Heat Recovery
Thermal Storage (TES)
Electrical

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 Group Discussion
There are similarities between RCx and TAB/EA,
then:

• What are the differences between TAB/EA and

RCx?

• What is the relationship between TAB/EA and

RCx?

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Key Differences
Cx RCx TAB EA
All existing bldg.
All new bldg. systems - systems - HVAC,
HVAC system and Energy related
Bldg. systems HVAC, lighting, plumbing, lighting, plumbing,
Hydronic systems equipment
electrical, envelop, etc. electrical, envelop,
etc.
Design/current Energy
Goal OPR CFR
specifications efficiency
Construction phase - Operation and
Span from pre-design to Operation and
Application new building; Operation occupation
operation and occupation phase;
Phase and occupation phase - phase; no
occupation phase no follow up
existing building follow up
Certification
Optional Optional Yes (NEBB, AABC) Optional
required?
Diagnostic Measurement of air
Perform pre-functional
monitoring and pressure, temperature, Little to some
Typical Field verifications, witness
perform functional flow rate, rotational field
Work FPTs done by sub-
tests on HVAC, speed, hydronic measurement
contractors
lighting, etc. pressure, electricity, etc.

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 39

EBCx Process

Retro-commissioning (RCx)

Re-commissioning (Re-Cx)

On-going Commissioning (OCx)

Monitoring-based Commissioning (MBCx)

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 RCx Case Study Outline

RCx Team Formation/Building Information and Problem History

Comfort and Energy Baseline

Problem Measurements/Analysis/Resolution

System Optimization

Measure Comfort and Energy Results

Conclusions

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RCx Case Study

• Team Formation
• Facility Energy Manager and RCx Engineers
• Facility Staff Reported Serious Comfort Problems over
Many Years
• Summer conditions inside the building reaching up to 27°C
(80°F) and 70% RH
• Some rooms too cold in summer
• Numerous rooms too cold in winter
• SOW: Resolve Comfort Issues And Energy Efficiency

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 RCx Case Study
• Building and HVAC System Information
• 9,000 m2 (98,900 ft2) office building with two sections:
three story wing and six story wing
• Four multi-zone air handling units
• Two 615 kWt (175-ton) centrifugal chillers
• Two 704 kWt (2.4 MMBtu/hr) gas fired boilers
• EMCS control system

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AHU HP CFM Area (ft2)

RCx Case Study

A 30 36,800 30,300

B 40 44,300 40,800

C 20 21,125 21,100

F 7.5 10,000 6,800

Total 97.5 112,225 99,000

• Air Handling Unit Information
AHU kW m3/h Area (m2)
A 22 62,523 2,815
B 30 75,266 3,790
C 15 35,892 1,960
F 6 16,990 632
Total 73 190,670 9,200
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 RCx Case Study
• Schematic Diagram of AHUs

Exhaust Air Exhaust Air

Louver Damper
Return Air

Return Air Heating Coil Zone Mixing

Damper Supply Air Damper
Zone 2 Zone 3
Filter Fan Zone 1

Outdoor Air Outdoor Air

Louver Supply Air Systems
Damper
Cooling Coil Zone Mixing Damper

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RCx Case Study

• Building Problem History - IAQ Problem Since 1982
• Two AHUs drew in garage air through the exhaust grills

Exhaust Air Exhaust Air

Louver Damper
Return Air

Return Air Heating Coil Zone Mixing

Damper Supply Air Damper
Zone 2 Zone 3
Filter Fan Zone 1

Outdoor Air Outdoor Air

Louver Supply Air Systems
Damper
Cooling Coil Zone Mixing Damper

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 RCx Case Study
• Building Problem History - Maintenance Personnel’s Solution to IAQ
Problem
• Blocked the exhaust air dampers to prevent garage air back flow
Exhaust Air Exhaust Air
Louver Damper
Return Air

Return Air Heating Coil Zone Mixing Damper

Damper Supply Air Fan
Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3
Filter

Outdoor Air Outdoor Air

Supply Air Systems
Louver Damper
Cooling Coil Zone Mixing Damper

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RCx Case Study

• Building Problem History - Maintenance Personnel’s Solution to IAQ
Problem
• Security doors would not close automatically

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 RCx Case Study
• Building Problem History - Maintenance Personnel’s Solution to
Security Problems
• Cut a 1.2 m by 1.2m hole on the exterior wall to relieve the building positive
pressure or just keep a window open!

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RCx Case Study

• Building Problem History - Thermal Comfort Problems 1990-1995

• High room temperature 27°C (81°F) and high RH (70%) during summer

• Low room temperature during winter in some rooms

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 RCx Case Study
• Building Problem History - Solutions Attempted
• Set the cold deck temperature as low as 8°C (46°F)
• Set the hot deck air temperature as high as 54°C (130°F)

Exhaust Air Exhaust Air

Louver Damper
Return Air

Return Air Heating Coil Zone Mixing

Damper Damper
Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3
Filter Supply Air
Fan

Outdoor Air Outdoor Air

Supply Air
Louver Damper
Systems
Cooling Coil Zone Mixing

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RCx Case Study

• Building Problem History - Operator Conclusions
• Did not have adequate boiler and chiller capacities to condition the building
• Recommended the owners install a bigger chiller and a bigger boiler

• The Building had Unusually High Utility Bills for its Location

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 RCx Case Study
• Comfort and Energy Baselines
• Measured conditions in 18 rooms on 31°C (88°F) day
• Found following room conditions:
• 19.4°C – 23.6°C (67°F – 74.5°F)
• 58% – 69% RH
• 400 – 500 ppm CO2
• Building pressure: +25Pa (+0.1 in H2O)

• Used utility bills as energy baseline

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RCx Case Study

Problem Resolution
and
System Optimization

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 AHU A B C F Total

Measured 73,200 26,900 27,800 12,800 140,700

RCx Case Study

Total CFM
Designed 36,800 44,300 21.125 10,000 112,225

O.A. CFM 43,500 12,800 17,900 6,500 80,700

Area (ft2) 30,300 40,800 21,100 6,800 99,000

• Measured Airflows and Compared with Design Values

AHU A B C F Total

Measured 124,368 45,703 47,232 21,747 239,050

Total m³/h
Designed 62,524 75,266 35,892 16,990 190,670

O.A. m³/h Measured 73,907 21,747 30,412 11,044 137,110

Area (m2) 2,815 3,790 1,960 632 9,200

• The measured total airflow was 25% higher than designed

• The measured outside air flow was 8 times higher than required

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RCx Case Study

• Problem Resolution
• Additional measurements and analysis showed: Reduction of total flow and
OA supply to design values would enable improved temperature and
humidity control

• Reduced OA would solve building pressurization problem

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 RCx Case Study
• System Simulation to Develop Optimum Flow Rates and Reset
schedules
3 .5

3 .0
Heating/Cooling (MMBtu/hr)

C o o lin g - b e fo r e
2 .5

2 .0
H e a tin g - b e f o r e
1 .5
C o o lin g - a f te r
1 .0

0 .5
H e a t in g - a ft e r
0 .0
20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

O u t s i d e A i r T e m p e r a tu r e ( ° F )

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AHU A B C F Total

RCx Case Study

As-found 73,200 26,940 27,700 12,800 140,700
Total
Recommended 25,700 37,700 17,900 5,800 87,100
CFM
Recommended/Design 71% 85% 85% 58% 78%
O.A. As-found 43,500 12,750 10,320 6,460 73,000
CFM Recommended 3,000 4,000 2,000 600 9,600

• Found Optimum Total Flows Below Design Values as Shown

AHU A B C F Total

Total As-found 124,368 45,703 47,232 21,747 239,050

m³/h Recommended 43,664 64,052 30,412 9,854 147,980
Recommended/Design 71% 85% 85% 58% 78%

O.A. As-found 73,907 21,747 30,412 11,044 137,110

m³/h Recommended 5,097 6,796 3,398 1,019 16,310

• Total air flow reduced by 58% to 78% of design value

• Outside air flow reduced by 87%

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 RCx Case Study
• Simulated Annual Energy Savings with Airflow Correction and
Optimum Reset Schedules

Before After Savings % Savings

Chiller Electricity
1,638,000 1,157,000 481,000 29%
(kWh/yr)

Hot Water
138585.1 19272.3 119312.8 86%
(m³/yr)

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RCx Case Study

• Optimized Reset Schedules:

Cold Deck Reset Hot Deck Reset

As Found 13°C (54.5°F) 38 − 0.7(𝑇 , − 4) °C

18 𝑇 , < 16 29 𝑇, <4
Recommended 𝑇 = 𝑇 =
14 𝑇 , > 16 29 − 0.29 𝑇 , −4 𝑇, >4

• Optimized Cold and Hot Deck Temperature Reset Schedules Based on the
Outside Air Temperature Were Implemented

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 RCx Case Study

• Measured Indoor Conditions and Energy Savings Afterwards

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RCx Case Study

• Comfort Improvement
• Office Workers Interviewed the Next Summer All Noted Significant Comfort
Improvement
• Measurements in 18 Rooms Showed:
Conditions Before After

Room CO2 Level 400 - 500 ppm 650 - 800 ppm

Room Temperature 19.4 – 23.6°C 22.2 – 23.9°C

Room Relative Humidity 58% - 69% 50% - 55%

Building Positive Pressure 25Pa 5Pa

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 RCx Case Study
• Measured Whole Building Electricity Consumption

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RCx Case Study

• Measured Gas Consumption Before and After RCx

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 RCx Case Study
• Measured Peak Demand Before and After RCx

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RCx Case Study

Conclusions

• The RCx process restored this building to comfortable

operation without adding heating or cooling capacity
• The RCx process reduced chiller consumption by 29% and gas
consumption by 67%
• Building site EUI reduced from 1.77 GJ/m2-yr to 1.18 GJ/m2-yr
(151 kBtu/ft2-yr to 101 kBtu/ft2-yr)

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 EBCx/RCx Work Scope

Identify and Solve Existing Operating Problems

Improve Building Thermal Comfort and Indoor Air Quality

Minimize Building Energy Consumption

Minimize Total Operating Cost

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EBCx/RCx Team Qualification

Team Qualification
• Objective and unbiased point of view
• Current technical knowledge and extensive hands-on field experience:
• O&M
• Fault Diagnostics
• Functional testing
• Troubleshooting common installation, maintenance, and operational pitfalls
for building systems
• Energy conservation and calculations
• Implementing improvements
• Building system commissioning, including design review, construction
observation, system testing, and post-occupancy evaluations
• Building system performance and interaction with a focus on building
automation control systems

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 Team Qualification Cont’d
Team Qualification
• Be able to lead, plan, schedule and coordinate RCx process and
make recommendations to the Owner regarding Facility
Improvement Measures and assist in verifying their continued
performance over time
• Good written, verbal, and organizational skills
• Excellent references and work products from similar
commissioning projects

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EBCx/RCx Team Qualification Cont’d

Team Formation
• Energy manager/facility manager
• O&M personnel
• Commissioning engineer
• Contractors, such as control technician

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Best Practice
Example of RCx process for Energy Savings Orientated Project

Phase
• Preliminary RCx assessment; Requires new contract to Phase 2
1

Phase
• Develop a detailed assessment plan
2

Phase
• Develop comfort and energy baselines
3

Phase
• Implement RCx measures based on priority
4

• Gather utility data and determine energy savings from baselines established in Phase 2
Phase
5

Phase
• Present a RCx workshop to operations staff
6

• Continue to monitor the facility for at least one year after completion of RCx measures
Phase
7

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 Best Practice
- Assessment and Implementation

Best Practice RCx Process and Activities

• Phase 1: Preliminary RCx assessment

• On-site visit (1-5 days)
• Field measurements taken
• Design drawings are studied
• Utility bills are analyzed
• Includes chillers, boilers, AHUs, terminal boxes, distribution
loops, cooling tower, outside air measurements, and
sensor validation, etc.

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Best Practice
- Assessment and Implementation
Best Practice RCx Process and Activities

• Phase 1: Preliminary RCx assessment

Outcome:
• Cost of implementing measures
• Expected savings
• Identifies potential retrofit measures (optional)
• Points out maintenance issues
• Present to client for approval to proceed to Phase 2
(requires new contract)

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 Best Practice
- Assessment and Implementation
Best Practice RCx Process and Activities
• Phase 2: Develop a detailed assessment plan
• Form RCx team
• Identify the specific measures for each component (AHUs,
chillers, cooling tower, terminal boxes, etc.)
• Develop an energy baseline based on IPMVP methods. Agree on
utility costs (typically current $)
• May be necessary to develop a seasonal plan (summer/winter)
• Recommend priority of implementation
• Present to facility manager/owner for approval and set priorities

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Best Practice
- Assessment and Implementation
Best Practice RCx Process and Activities

• Phase 3: Develop a comfort baseline

• Temperature, RH, CO2, and perhaps noise levels
• Investigate/solve comfort problems noted by facilities staff
• Phase 4: Implement RCx measures based on priority
• Controls changes to BAS
• Identification of sensor problems and other maintenance
issues
• Fine-tune measures over seasons, if necessary

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 Best Practice
- Assessment and Implementation
Best Practice RCx Process and Activities
• Phase 5: Gather utility data and determine energy
savings from baselines established in Step 2
• Continue to fine-tune the systems over the seasons
• Phase 6: Present an RCx workshop to operations staff
• Discuss RCx process, in general, and present RCx
fundamentals
• Go over all RCx measures implemented at the facility
• Stress importance of maintaining the same high level of
system performance

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Best Practice
- Assessment and Implementation
Best Practice RCx Process and Activities
• Phase 7: Continue to monitor the facility for at least
one year after completion of RCx measures
• To ensure persistence of savings, we recommend
continued monitoring of the facility
• Final report documenting all RCx measures implemented,
all software changes, savings in kW, kWh, GJ, and dollars.
(Optional: Capital retrofits could be recommended)

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Why Do M&V With RCx?

Quantifies Savings

Helps Maintain and Increase Energy Savings

Hourly Data Very Useful if Performance Deteriorates

Help Identify Additional RCx Opportunities

Enhancing the Financing of Energy Efficiency Projects

Educates Facility Users about Their Energy Usage

Improves Score for LEED Projects (Credit for M&V)

CBCP® 80

80

CBCP_v2023.10 40
 Performance-Based Cx – Baselines and M&V

• How to evaluate the quality of the RCx process itself?

• Performance benchmark method:
• Energy baseline
• Comfort baseline
• Trending of pre-RCx and post-RCx performance
• M&V
• Need an objective method to measure performance
• IPMVP

CBCP® 81

81

Measurement & Verification for RCx Projects

• Measure the Savings!

• Classical Savings Measurement: Compare Last Year’s
Bills to This Year’s Bills, or

Savings = pre-RCx bills - post-RCx bills

Is this good enough?

CBCP® 82

82

CBCP_v2023.10 41
 M&V for RCx Projects

• Weather Uncertainties

• Billing Period Differences

For some
clients, it is • Occupancy Changes
sufficient,
despite • Plug Load Changes

• Production Changes

CBCP® 83

83

M&V for RCx Projects

• For most clients, a more rigorous approach is needed

for the baseline.

CBCP® 84

84

CBCP_v2023.10 42
 Did This Retrofit Save Energy?

Pre Con Post

Pre : 11/1/89 - 11/27/90

Con : 11/28/90 - 3/4/91
Post: 3/5/91 - 12/31/92

CBCP® 85

85

Baseline Should Consider

Price Changes

Weather Changes

Schedule Changes

Equipment Changes

Remodeling

Occupancy Changes

Production Changes If an Industrial Facility

CBCP® 86

86

CBCP_v2023.10 43
 Price Changes

Agree on Whether Cost Savings Will Be

Determined at:
• Today’s prices
• Tomorrow’s prices
• Today’s prices with some fixed escalation rate (not
recommended)
• Price determination is not as important for short-term RCx
projects as long-term capital retrofit project

CBCP® 87

87

M&V Plan

M&V Minimum Content

• Name and qualifications of provider
• What parameters will be measured and frequency of
measurement
• What is the total cost for M&V
• Provide baseline and methodology
• Length of reporting period
• Include an example savings calculation
• Adjustments to baseline

CBCP® 88

88

CBCP_v2023.10 44
 M&V Plan

Example Savings Calculation

Esave-total$ = SavingsElectricity$ + SavingsNatGas$ ± Adjustments

Where
SavingsEnergy$ = EnergyCostPre$ - EnergyCostPost$

EnergyCostPre$ =  All Baseline Factors with rates

EnergyCostPost$ =  All Post-RCx Factors with rates

Adjustments = Changes required to a baseline

CBCP® 89

89

International Performance Measurement

and Verification Protocol (IPMVP)
EVO – Efficiency Valuation Organization

Provides guidance
Developed by a
on the most
joint industry,
appropriate
academic, and
savings
government team
measurement
for the U.S.
approach to
Department of
different types of
Energy
projects

CBCP® 90

90

CBCP_v2023.10 45
 IPMVP - Overview

Presents a guide on approach to determine savings

after project implementation

Discusses topics to be addressed in the M&V plan

Discusses alternatives to various approaches, flexibility

of plan, and accuracy

CBCP® 91

91

IPMVP - Overview
Methodology
Option A - Partially Measured Retrofit Isolation
• Partial Measurement - Some Parameter Stipulation
Option B - Retrofit Isolation
• Measured Capacity - Measured Consumption
Option C - Whole Building Measurement
• Facility or Main Meter Measurement
Option D - Whole Building Simulation
• Calibrated Simulation

Note - Material contained in this section is based on 2001 USDOE IPMVP and ASHRAE
Guideline 14-2014 – Measurement of Energy, Demand, and Water Savings

CBCP® 92

92

CBCP_v2023.10 46
 IPMVP - Background

Started in 1996 by DOE to try to establish a standard for M&V

largely for ESCOs

Participants were owners, contractors, utilities, academics,

consultants, from 15 countries

In 2001, DOE transferred IPMVP responsibility to EVO (Efficiency

Valuation Organization), a non-profit US corporation

Maintenance of IPMVP is by volunteers from all over the world

CBCP® 93

93

IPMVP - Background

Volume I – “Concepts and Options for Determining

Energy and Water Savings”

Volume II – “Concepts and Practices for Improved Indoor

Environmental Quality”

Volume III – “Applications”

• Part I – New Construction

• Part II – Renewable applications

CBCP® 94

94

CBCP_v2023.10 47
 Required Resources

Required Energy Metering

• Whole building energy use (option C)
• Whole building electric energy or demand
• Natural gas consumption
• Chilled or hot water use
• Steam use
• System level energy use (option B)
• Chiller electric energy
• Motors equipped with variable frequency drives (VFD)
• Feedback signals

CBCP® 95

95

Required Resources

Required Independent Variables and Sources

• Local weather stations

• National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA)
• http://www.weatherunderground.com
• Climate.weather.gc.ca
• Building energy management and control system (EMCS)
• Data and time stamps from data files

CBCP® 96

96

CBCP_v2023.10 48
 Required Resources
EMCS as a Source Of Data

Data Management Requirements

• Data gaps
• Gap does not last excessively long, the missing data can be “filled in” by
interpolating between the data points of the two bordering intervals
• Gap is longer, eliminating the missing time interval from the analysis
• Erroneous data
• Techniques to identify erroneous data
• Comparison of the screened maximum and minimum values with what
is expected
• Applying a summation or mathematical function to the data in a
spreadsheet program
• Graphed
• Data screen tool for building energy consumption data

CBCP® 97

97

IPMVP - Option A

Partially Measured Retrofit Isolation

• Usually targeted at specific retrofits like lighting and constant
speed motor replacements

Partial Measurement-Some Parameter Stipulation

• Baseline measurements are usually made to establish
performance and then measurements are made to establish
post-retrofit performance
• Energy use is often calculated using stipulated hours of
operation and measuring the energy consumption

CBCP® 98

98

CBCP_v2023.10 49
 IPMVP - Option A

Best Applications Occur When

• Performance of ECM can be isolated
• Independent variables that affect energy use
• Submeters exist, or meters added used for other
purposes
• Uncertainty created by stipulations is acceptable
• Stipulation of some parameters is less costly than
measurements

CBCP® 99

99

IPMVP - Option A

Appropriate Usage
• On small projects where analysis cost and any
measurement equipment installations are not cost
justified
• On projects where verification of installation alone is
acceptable
• Not generally appropriate for RCx projects

CBCP® 100

100

CBCP_v2023.10 50
 IPMVP - Option B
Measured Retrofit Isolation
• Usually targeted at retrofits like chillers and other specific retrofits where
retrofit isolation is desirable

Specific Requirements
• Baseline measurements are made to establish performance and then
measurements are made to establish post-retrofit performance
• Monitoring can be continuous or scheduled throughout the life of the
contract
• Monthly consumption data can be used to establish savings if savings are
significant (>10%)
• Recommend analysis using hourly data since this is an excellent method
for sustaining savings

CBCP® 101

101

IPMVP - Option B

Appropriate Usage
• On projects where measurement equipment
installations are cost justified
• Interactive effects between RCx measures or with
other facility equipment can be measured
• Submetering exists
• Meters added will be used for multiple purposes

CBCP® 102

102

CBCP_v2023.10 51
 IPMVP - Option C

Whole Building Measurement

• Recommended for multiple interacting retrofits and
when the savings is greater than 10% of the energy
consumption
• Determines the collective savings of all ECMs applied to
the building
• Baseline (pre-RCx) measurements are made to establish
performance and then post-retrofit measurements are
made to establish post-RCx performance

CBCP® 103

103

IPMVP - Option C

Whole Building Measurement

• Accounts for changes in operation and use is a
major challenge with Option C
• A record of baseline activity must be maintained
• Baseline adjustments should be considered when
the use changes by 10% or more

CBCP® 104

104

CBCP_v2023.10 52
 What Data Do You Need?
• Monthly utility bills
• One-time or short-term hourly data
• Continuous hourly whole building data
• Continuous hourly data at building or system level

CBCP® 105

105

IPMVP - Option C
• Low-Cost Applications
• Use monthly utility bills
• Monthly errors are smaller when
meter read dates are available

CBCP® 106

106

CBCP_v2023.10 53
 IPMVP - Option C
• Low-Cost Applications
• Use the monthly utility bills
• Analysis should involve:
• Taking the monthly data and reducing this to
average daily data (why meter read dates are
important)
• Taking the average daily temperatures and
reducing to one average temperature for the
billing period
• For each post-RCx data point, plot usage vs.
temperature

CBCP® 107

107

Monthly Utility Bills Suitable If

• Significant savings are expected at the utility meter
level
• Savings are relatively small to cost-justify more
data/metering
• There will be little change in
• Equipment
• Schedules
• Occupancy
• Space utilization

CBCP® 108

108

CBCP_v2023.10 54
 Monthly Utility Bills Analysis

CBCP® 109

109

IPMVP - Option C
• Medium Cost Applications
• Use hourly time series data from a logger or EMCS
• Use the hourly data to create average daily values
• Determine the average daily temperature for the
24-hour period
• Plot these daily points as post ECM data points

CBCP® 110

110

CBCP_v2023.10 55
 Continuous Hourly Data
• Preferred for Projects Large Enough to
Justify Cost
• Tends to Enhance Savings
• Can Provide Valuable Diagnostics
• Tends to be More Convincing

CBCP® 111

111

IPMVP - Option C
• Best Applications
• Numerous interacting RCx measures
• Effects of interacting RCx measures difficult to
separate
• Independent variables affect energy use
• Reasonable correlation found between energy use
and other independent variables

CBCP® 112

112

CBCP_v2023.10 56
 IPMVP - Option C
• Appropriate Usage
• On projects where the owner is not willing to
accept higher risk
• Projects include:
• Combination lighting and HVAC ECMs
• Projects with large expected savings (>$100,000/year)
• Variable speed ECMs
• Chiller or boiler retrofits

CBCP® 113

113

Whole Building Approach

Monthly Hourly
Whole Building Data Whole Building Data
• Pros • Pros
• Low cost • Data detail present
• Usually available • Tools exist to quickly
• Small number of points spot changes to savings
to analyze • Cons
• Cons • More expensive
• Data detail missing • Analysis more involved
• Changes to savings can
take months to identify
CBCP® 114

114

CBCP_v2023.10 57
 Whole Building Approach
Monthly Whole Building Measurement
• Important things to consider:
• Are 12, 24 or 36 months of data available?
• Are daily temperatures available from National Weather
Service?
• Does the building have significant differences in usage?
• If all these have been considered and have been
shown to be appropriate, then monthly utility bill
analysis can be used.
• Otherwise, use hourly data.

CBCP® 115

115

Whole Building Approach Specific Requirements

Minimum Requirements for

Whole Building Prescriptive Path
• Measured data available from: baseline and post-retrofit
• Energy use measurement type: continuous
• Minimum period spanned by baseline data: 12 months
• Minimum number of valid data points: 9
• No allowance for elimination of data

CBCP® 116

116

CBCP_v2023.10 58
 Whole Building Approach

Methodology and Calculations

• Collect data
• Select baseline and define model
• Calculate energy savings
• Calculate demand savings
• Baseline adjustments
• Sample models

CBCP® 117

117

Whole Building Approach

Collect Data
• Non-stored energy sources
• Stored energy sources
• Demand data
• Time-of-use data
• Weekly, daily or hourly data
• Independent variables
• Weather data
• Other independent variables

CBCP® 118

118

CBCP_v2023.10 59
 Whole Building Approach

Select Baseline And Define Model

E = C + B1V1 + B2V2 + B3V3 + …

Where
E – Energy use or demand estimated by the equation
C – Constant term in [energy units/day] or [demand units/billing period]
Bn – Coefficient of independent variable Vn in [energy units/driving
variable units/day] or [demand units/driving variable units/day]
Vn – Independent driving variable

CBCP® 119

119

Whole Building Approach

• Calculate Energy Savings

Esavings = Eprojected – Ecurrent

• Calculate Demand Savings

Demandsavings = Demandprojected – Demandcurrent

CBCP® 120

120

CBCP_v2023.10 60